Hawthorne's pizza touts taste of New York at seven locations

HUNTERSVILLE – If it’s perfect New York-style pizza you are looking for, your search is over.

Hawthorne’s New York Pizza and Bar prides itself on some of the tastiest food around, served by a competent, friendly member of the waitstaff.

As the restaurant continues to open more locations, the owners ensure that the quality of the food and the satisfaction of the customer remain paramount.

Michael Adams moved to the Charlotte area in 1996 from New York as his brother was already living here. Michael and John Adams knew they wanted to run some sort of business together on the side and eventually opened up a New York-style deli on 7th Street across from Presbyterian Hospital. They learned a lot about the restaurant business and found a niche in catering.

“We also realized that running a restaurant can’t really be a side business,” Michael Adams said.

Their landlord offered them another space, and they decided to go for it and make it their primary job. This became the first Hawthorne’s New York Pizza and Bar. It was an immediate success.

The team went on to open six more Hawthornes, which are full-service, sit-down restaurants with big menus and full bars.

However, the brothers needed someone to head up the kitchen.

Back in New York, a chef named Carlo Martinez met yet another Adams brother who told him of the venture down in Charlotte.

Martinez, a Culinary Institute of New York graduate, visited Charlotte and loved the area. He talked Michael and John Adams into giving him a job and the three-way partnership was born.

The Huntersville location is the sixth of seven restaurants.

“We are hoping to take a break from opening restaurants for a bit,” Michael Adams said.

They also run Davidson Pizza Co., and Kickstand Charlotte Burgers and Bar.

The pizza is tremendous. Customers should fold the slice to eat it as they are huge. The toppings are fresh and the crust is thin and crispy. There is a gluten-free crust option, and it is delicious.

“We spent over a year working on that crust,” marketing manager Matthew Vincent said. “So we’re very proud of it.”

The lettuce in the salads is hand-cut with a gorgeous array of colorful vegetables and fresh cheeses served in a chilled bowl. Don’t miss the garlic knots. They are huge with real garlic and a satisfying taste.

There are also wonderful pasta dishes. The Penne Ala Vodka is fantastic – the cream sauce tempered by the shallots and prosciutto.

The restaurant has a full bar with various craft beers on tap.

They also have a catering service, Tri County Catering, that can be used for any type of event including weddings, family reunions and business lunches.

While many restaurants talk about quality service, the team at Hawthorne's actually walks the walk. They ‘secret shop’ each of their seven locations once a week using the negative and positive feedback to learn and grow.

“We want to make sure the customer wants to come back,” John Adams said. “We’ll bend over backwards to make your meal correct and make sure you are happy as you walk out that door.”

Hawthorne’s does a great job of guaranteeing the customer has an amazing experience every single time they dine.

“We can always do better,” Michael Adams said. “We try to wow the customer every single time. We feel we’re experts on food and experts on service.”